Art of destroying moth worms, etc.



Aug. 23, 1932.

w. Y. cAsTaNGuAY ART oF DEsTRoYING MoTH worms, ETC

Filed July 2. 1930 2 sheets-sheet 1 A TTORNEY.

Aug. 23, 1932. w, Y, CASTQNG'UAY 1,872,676

ART DESTROYING MOTH WORKS, ETC

Filed July 2, 1930 2 Sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

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Patented Aug. 23, 1932 Ntra STATES WILLIAM Y. oAsTfoNofUAY, or nnraom, 'MiieiIIeANy Aaron nns'rnorue Meri-1 woraus, nre.v

Application filed vJuly 2, 1930. VSerial '1\To. l165,414.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved method andV apparatus whereby moths, moth worms and the like in furniture, clothing and other articles can be effectively and quickly exterminated with :little trouble and expense.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the above kind which is self-contained and self-propelled so that it can be run by its own power to the premises where the articles to be treated are stored or in use, thereby avoiding much of the time, trouble and expense involved in the present common practice of packing the articles, transferring them to an establishment for unpacking andrtreatment, and then re-packing and returning-the articles to the original premises, where they are again unpacked and stored or placed in use.

I have discovered anddemonstrated that by subjecting furniture, clothing or other articles to the action of carbon monoxide gas within a closedor relatively air-tight chamber, any moths, mothworms, moth eggs and the like in or on such articles will be effectively destroyed. I havev further discovered and demonstrated that the exhaust gases from an internal combustion vengine contain suflicient carbon monoxide gas for this purpose, and hence my invention may find practical embodiment in a motor` vehicle provided with a chamber into which may be placed the articles to be treated, and means for conveying the exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine, which drives the vehicle, into such chamber. In order to insure` complete filling of the chamber with the exhaust gases When-considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa view, partly 1n side elevationand partly broken away and in longitudinal' section, of an apparatus Vembodying the present invention.-

Figure 2' is an enlarged l'fragmentary rear elevational -view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on line 3-8 of Figure 1: 1 VFigure't is anenlarged. horizontal section on line ,4 4 of- Figure 2; and l i Figure y5 is a detailof the means for selectively effecting discharge of the exhaust gases to the -fumigating chamberor to the `exhaust muffler of the Vehicle.

Avehicle used for the' purpose I haveindicated is provided with a relatively closed or'air-tight body or fumigating chamber 5 having doors 6 through which the articles to be treated .may -loey introduced and removed.l The vehicle is driven by an ordinary'internal combustion engine 7 having an exhaust pipe 8 leading-to the usual muffler 9'.V A branch pipe 10 leads from the intermediate portion of the exhaust pipe 8 into 'the front portion of the chamber '5 and has a suitable filter 11 interposed therein vfor relieving vthe exhaust gases of obnoxious foreign matter which may have a detrimentaleffect on the articles placed in thev chambe'r' for treatment; A valve v12 is arranged in the exhaust pipe 8 at the juncture of the branch pipe 10 therewith, whereby the exhaust'gases may be-diverted through `the pipe '10'into the chamber 5 or to the muffler 9, at will. A lever 13-may be provided so that the valve-12 may be readily operated by the driver or attendant.

Avent 14e is preferably provided in the rear wall of the chamber 5 above the doors 6 and normally closed'by a spring-seated relief valve 15. As shown, the valve 15 carries a stem 16 whose inner end is pivoted to a leverA 17` and which lis in turn pivoted at '95 one end to a bracket 18` mounted on the wall of chamber 5"'at one side of the vent 14. A pressure-motor has its casing 19 mounted in an opening in the` wall of the chamber 5, and

one side ofits diaphragm 2O exposed to the interior of the chamber 5. The diaphragm 2O is yieldingly pressed inwardly by a spring 2l surrounding a stem 22 which slidably projects outwardly through a bushing 23 adjustably threaded in the outer end of the casing 19. The stem 22 bears against the diaphragm 20, and the spring 21 is interposed' between a collar 24 on the stem 22 and the inner end of the bushing 23. A handle and pointer 25 is provided on the outer end of the bushing 23 for convenience in adjusting the latter to place. the spring 2l under the desired compression, a suitable dial 26 being provided on the outside Vof the chamber 5 to cooperate with the handle and pointer `25 so that the adjustments may be accurately and readily made. The intermediate portion of lever 17 is pivoted to the diaphragm 2() as at 27, and it will be readily seen that when the exhaust gases in the chamber 5 reach a predetermined pressure, the.A diaphragm 2() will be pressed outwardly against the action of the spring 21 andV the valve 15 will be o ned. In this way, the exhaust gases will vented from the chamber 5 to the atmosphere until the pressure within said chamber is again reduced, thereby preventing such buckV pressureon the engine'7 as will cause the latter to stall or become inoperative. `As the permissible pressure varies under different operating conditions,.the adjustment of the bushing 23 and ofthe compression of spring 2l will enable maintenance of maximum operating eliciency at all times. Moreover, by keeping the gases under some pressure within the chamber 5, complete filling of the latter and thorough fumigation of the articles therein is insured in the shortest possible time. However, the relief valve may take any one of many dierent forms, the one shown being merely illustrated by way of example.v

In use, the vehicle is driven to the premises where the articles to be treated are stored or in use, whereupon the articles are placed in the chamber 5 and the doors 6 closed. The valve 12 is then placed'in the full line position of Figure 5 so as to canse the exhaust gases from the engine 7 to discharge through pipe Al0 into the chamber 5, the gases automatically vented from time to time when the'pressurein such chamber becomes sufficiently high to cause the valve 15 toopen. When the articles have been-treated for the required period of Jtime, the valve V12v is shifted to the dotted line position of Figure 5 and then the doors 6 are opened and the articles removed. Care will of course be re"- n uired to avoid the gases when opening the oors 6 unless they are previously scavenged from the chamber 5 by suitable means. I have fou-nd thatA articles so treated will have the moth worms and the like thereof eec.- tively and quickly destroyed due to the de.q

structive effect of the exhaust gases, the most elfective killing element or ingredient of which is carbon monoxide gas. While this element has long been known to be a destroyer of insect and animal life, its efciency in destroying moth worms, moth eggs and the like has not been previously discovered and appreciated, so far as I am aware. Moreover, the moth eggs and worms are the most diflicult and necessary things to vdestroy in ridding articles of pests preparatory to moth-proofing them, the moth fly and other actual insects being very easy to destroy and having little or no destructive action on the articles.

The invention contemplates such changes and modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Vhat I claim as new is:

l. A portable apparatus for destroying moth worms and the. like in furniture, clothing and oth r articles, comprising a motor vehicle having an internal combustion driving engine, a relatively closed chamber su l ported on said vehicle to receive the articles to be fumigated, means to conduct the exhaust gases from the engine into said chamher, means to filter the exhaust gases prior to discharging the same into said chamber, a vent pipe supported by one wall of the chamber, a no mally closed spring seated relief valve therefor, and means for automatically opening said valve including a yieldably supported pressure actuated diaphragm arranged within the chamber.

2. A portable apparatus for destroying moth worms and the like in furniture, clothing and other articles, comprising` a motor vehicle-having an internal combustion driving engine, a relatively closed chamber supported on said vehicle to receive the articles to be fumigated, means to conduct the exhaust gases from the engine into said chamber, means to filter the exhaust gases prior to discharging the same into said chamber', a. vent. pipe supported by one wall of. thc chamber, a normally closedspring seated relief valve therefor, including a stem, a horizontally arranged lever pivoted on one wall of the chamber and pivotally connected with said stem, and a yieldably supported pressure actuated diaphragm located within the chamber and connected with the lever at a point in its length, to automatically open said valve at a predetermined pressure within the chamber.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

WILLIAM Y. CASTNGUAY. 

